


Hummingbird

by Morse_s Child (sherlockstummy)



Category: Inspector Morse (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fatherhood, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-25
Updated: 2015-09-25
Packaged: 2018-04-23 07:57:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4869194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sherlockstummy/pseuds/Morse_s%20Child
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carefree as a hummingbird... </p><p>"Daddy!"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hummingbird

“Daddy!”

Morse nearly dropped his water glass. “What have I told you about stealing my spare? You will give me a heart attack one of these days!”

Some rustling at the door. “Sorry, dad! You’d never hear over that racket!” A huff. “Vi listens to it, too. I can’t bear the people screaming!” Click. The music turned off.

“I hope you’re being careful with my records!” Morse groused, shuffled into the living room. He couldn’t help but smile at the young woman. “How are you, Clara?”

Clara floated daintily into his arms, hugging him tightly and kissing his cheek. “Fine, daddy! You’ve lost weight!”

“It’s not a bad thing, at my age!” He looked over hi daughter’s lean frame. “Bad for you at yours. What are they feeding you?”

Clara dramatically rolled her eyes and folded herself into the sofa. “Dad, I’m fine. I only lost a little. I’m watching carefully!”

“All right. It’s scary to get that call in the middle of the night, you know! In my line of work, there’s usually a dead body on the other end.” Morse sipped his water. “Tell me you’re taking care of yourself and I’ll be happy.”

“I had a sandwich down at the pub and a little chocolate. Honestly, you can talk.” Clara twirled her hand in a “oh go on” gesture.

“All right, all right, pet.” Morse grunted as he sat beside her. “And to what, pray tell, do I owe this visit?”

Clara turned towards him, tucking her dress between her knees. “You haven’t been returning my calls, dad! You need an answer phone.”

“It took me ages to learn the phone I’ve got. Don’t push your luck.”

“Vi wants to meet for dinner some night. Are you okay with that?”

Morse chuckled. “Always, to see my own daughters. What color has she done her hair, then? I’ve missed the last few practices.”

Clara giggled. “Black. I think it looks silly.”

“Oh?”

“Vi’s cut her hair again, too. Short like mum’s, in all the pictures! I think she looks better as a blonde, but you know Vi.”

“I do.” Morse looked fondly at Clara as she rested her cheek against his shoulder. “What did you bring with you?”

“Oh!” Clara leapt off the couch and dashed towards the door. “Just the usual.”

“Clara, I’m old enough to do my own shopping…”

Clara raised her head and gave him a look. “Robbie was complaining again that you’ve got nothing in. Said something about one sardine and a radish.”

“Lewis can sod off!”

“You don’t mean that!” Clara giggled, tucking her reddish-brown hair behind her ears. “You have to tell me if this is silly.”

Morse crossed his ankles. “You’ve been talking to Robbie. You know I don’t know ‘silly’.”

“So you do know his name!”

“Clara!”

“All right, all right.” Clara popped up again, revealing a small pink box. “Ta da!”

Morse frowned. “What is it?”

“A keepsake box!” Clara said excitedly, running over to show him. “I saw it in a shop, and I thought of little Lyn! Maybe she’d like it! D’ya think?” Clara knelt at her father’s feet while Morse turned the box over in his hands.

Morse admired the detailing; Clara had his eye for art and design. “It’s beautiful, pet. I’m sure she’ll love it. Lewis will appreciate that you thought of Lyn.”

Clara beamed and folded her arms on Morse’s lap. “It’s funny when you say ‘pet’.”

“Why?” Morse ran a hand through her hair absently, the way she used to like it when she was young. By the way she leaned into it, it was clear she still appreciated it.

“It’s so…” Clara frowned thoughtfully. “So…North!”

Morse laughed. “I did grow up there.”

“But you don’t sound like it!”

“You know I went to Oxford. The accent got sanded down pretty quickly, and mine wasn’t strong to begin with.”

Clara hummed thoughtfully. “I like it when you call me ‘pet’.” 

“Oh, that’s nice. Violet doesn’t let me anymore. She says I have to call her Violet. Or Constance.” Morse chuckled. “Oddly enough, she likes the ring of Constance Morse.”

Clara smiled. “That’s Vi for you.”

Morse tousled her hair. “She probably likes Constance because you can’t call her ‘Vi’.”

“I’ll just call her Connie!” Clara replied. 

Morse laughed again. “That might make her turn back to Violet.”

“Might make her turn violet.” Clara giggled. Morse allowed her that one. “Daddy?”

“Hmm?”

Clara readjusted herself so she was more comfortable. “Mummy named Violet…right?”

Morse sighed, feeling sorrowful even just remembering what was so very long ago. “Yes, she did. It was all her idea, even the virtue name.”

“And you named me!” Clara said brightly.

Morse chuckled, leaning over to kiss her. “Yes, I did.”

“Clara Joy Morse.”

“Look at that. I went with a virtue name and everything.”

“You hate yours. Why did you choose that for me?”

“Oh, now, mine was my first name. And I had no middle name to use.”

“Daddy.”

Morse tilted his head back as he thought. “Things were already…difficult, with mum when you were born. Violet was three or four, I think, and she’d already seen us fight once or twice. I was worried you weren’t even mine…” He lifted his head, cupping his hand around her cheek. “And then, there you were. And my heart sang.”

Clara smiled. “Daddy, you’ll make me cry.”

Morse pulled her up and she sat carefully in his lap. “When I saw you, it was like I was in love all over again. I mean, I did love Violet very much, but you…” He smiled, eyes watery. “You were like a light in the darkness. And all I could think of was the joy in my heart. I knew you should have a beautiful, musical name. So I called you Clara Joy.”

Clara hugged her father, sniffling a bit. Then, she pulled back. “And then you and mummy…”

“Yes.” Morse said. “Clearly, we weren’t meant for each other. One night after I came home, she told me she was leaving, and that was that. I got the divorce papers in the mail.” Morse sighed. “She didn’t want anything to do with us. I’d just made sergeant, and it was sheer luck I found someone to watch you two.”

“Daddy,” Clara studied him seriously. Morse was always impressed how his merry little girl could go from joyous to contemplative in seconds. “I know I speak for Vi when I say…we love you. And we appreciate everything you did and continue to do.” Clara kissed his cheek. “I don’t mind our family! I don’t wish I had mum.” She rubbed at her eyes. “You were enough.” She pulled her hand away. “Yikes.” She giggled. “Do I look a mess?”

Morse chuckled. “No, pet. But you can freshen up a bit.”

Clara got off his lap and trotted upstairs with her purse. Morse set his glass down, loosened his tie a bit more, and placed the keepsake box back in the bag it came from. 

“When do I get to meet this man you keep going on about in all your messages? William, is it?” Morse called up the stairs as he rummaged through the shopping.

“Dad, stop going through the bags!”

Morse caught sight of a lady product and looked away. He’d been thankful once the girls learned to do their own washing. “When do I meet him?”

“When you stop thinking of reasons to arrest him!” Clara rushed down the stairs again. “He’s a good guy! Honest!”

Morse crossed his arms over his chest. “I will be the judge of that, thank you.”

Clara rolled her eyes and gathered up the shopping. “I’ll sort out my stuff, then I’ve gotta run. I’m meeting a friend of mine.”

“Not a boy?”

“No, dad!”

“Fine. I was almost glad to hear Violet was a homosexual.”

“Girls are ten times worse, dad!” Clara protested, tucking away a few things into her bag.

“I like them quite a lot.”

Clara growled. “You are a monster! Honestly! It’s not the 60s anymore!”

“So Lewis tells me.”

Clara rolled her eyes. “Bye, daddy.” She hugged him again.

Morse returned her hug. “Bye now. Be safe! Eat dinner!”

“Yes, dad!”

“Promise me!”

“Yes!” Clara bolted out the door. Morse watched her from the window.

Carefree as a humming bird. 

If only life were so easy.

**Author's Note:**

> My friend Butter and I were talking and the idea of Morse being a father came up. Imagine if Morse and Susan had gotten married. Well, considering how it turned out in canon, I don't think his marriage would've lasted. But yeah, anyway, have this. Criticism and kudos is always welcome! Thank you!
> 
> P.S. Violet is actually bisexual, but Morse, being from the 60s, only heard the "I like women" part of her statement. She's still trying to explain the concept to him.


End file.
